Extra budget for drainage, road repair in Cebu City held

Road and drainage maintenance projects in Cebu City will have to wait for next year’s annual budget.

The City Council yesterday  approved only P473 million or less than half of the  proposed P1.147 billion Supplementary Budget No. 2  proposed by the mayor’s office.

The council said the mayor failed to identify the fund source for P674-million worth of items.

“It’s a setback but they promised that it’s only a delay,”  said a disappointed Cebu City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete.

He said he respects the council’s decision but hoped that the other affected projects be covered in the next annual budget.

What was left out: P200 million for drainage projects and about P15 million for repair of potholes in interior barangays and other road maintenance.

“With the rainy season here, we thought we could prioritize the repair of the drainage system but there’s nothing else  we can do,” Poblete said.

The city government’s  asphalt supply is almost used up, said Poblete based on feedback from the City General Services Office.

“We can only prepare plans and program of works and estimates.”

But Cebu City Councilor Margot Osmeña said  even if the mayor got the whole supplemental  budget, the projects would take time to implement since  bidding had to be conducted and it’s already near the last quarter.

The council approved P175.6 million for the mayor’s office, the biggest  outlay.

Of this amount,  P85 million  will go to the Senior Citizen’s Program.

The city’s scholarship program and livelihood assistance program is  allocated P10 million each.

The purchase of  a property in barangay Ermita for a  school site was  appropriated  P14 million.

The city allocated P29 million to pay  TOA Corp. for their work on the Mambaling access road leading to the South Road Properties (SRP).

The council was reluctant to pay the amount since the road is defective and needs  to be redone due to its weak foundation.

The city likewise allocated P49.3 million as subsidy to the city hospitals.

Supplemental Budget No. 2  covered  salaries and honoraria of City Hall and job-order employees with the General Services Office given P97.4 million.

Gasoline expenses were alloted  P30 million and P67 million for power bills.

A P51.5-million outlay  for barangays was carried ion with P6.8 million for the City Council.

The Department of Engineering and Public Works was allotted  P22.6 million, mainly for e repairs and construction of bridges and river crossings at P15 million.

Sources for the SB1 Special accounts include the general fund, retained operating surplus in 2010, and budget realignment from last year’s appropriations.